


In Your Absence

by LittleTwoLegs



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: BAMF Melinda May, BAMF Phil Coulson, F/M, Kree Monolith, Melinda May in Star Wars, Portals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22247458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleTwoLegs/pseuds/LittleTwoLegs
Summary: It had been years, how many he couldn't recall,  but he knew she was here. He felt the ache in his chest ease and the horizon shimmered before settling. A black smudge surrounded by beige brought a smile to his face. He knew it was her.Melinda.
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	1. Hot Penny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrival, certainty and hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on a shit ton of other fics, trying to finish everything but then my mother got Disney plus and PEDRO PASCAL IS THE MANDALORIAN AND HE IS PAPI CHULO, AI DIOS MIO!  
> Anywho, watched it, enjoyed it, couldn't BELIEVE Ming would be pushed out so soon so I made a thing.

The air on this planet had a dry cough settling into the back of his throat long before the burn in his legs became an issue. He didn't know how far he'd traveled from the portal's entrance but the fact that he had to kill almost eight people already gave him all the proof he required to know he needed to be careful and trust no one just as the last one had been; this galaxy was not very welcoming. Thankfully almost all of the people had had water containers he was able to confiscate. 

He doused himself with one of the water containers, washing sweat from his shaggy head. He needed a cut but with this heat bearing down it was probably better that he had grown it out. Long before, when he directed a team full of powerful people, when he was looked up to as a leader and mentor, he would've cared about his image and the first impression he made upon introductions. Now he cared little for the way his clothes were ill fitted and his beard needed grooming.

He used to use suites and ties as a barrier between him and the world but now, without his second by his side, he was left naked, his nerves frayed, raw and angry. He was harder than before, ruthless where he once might have shown mercy, silent where he was once gregarious. Some would say he was a different person but he knew he wasn't. The fact was he was lost without her.

He had just gotten her back, had just held her in his arms, heard her say "I love you." with such anger behind it. Now... what he wouldn't give to be able to feel the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips, the shy weight of her hair ghosting across his arm and face as she pinned him during sparring or hear her low voice murmur words of counsel as they plotted over what to do about the most recent threat. What he wouldn't give just to have her by his side again. 

It had been years, how many he couldn't recall, but he knew she was here. He felt the ache in his chest ease and the horizon shimmered before settling. A black smudge surrounded by beige brought a smile to his face. It had to be her.

Melinda.


	2. Swindled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Too late. Always just a little too late, a little too slow, to make a difference.

Melinda cursed as the Mandalorian caught her. She had evaded capture for over 6 years now. Six years in this Godforsaken galaxy with nothing but dust, dirt, aliens and this crazy Empire Rule that refused to die out. When the Monolith had taken her, Simmons' eyes full of pain, fear and sorrow as she held the small piece, shouting "You'll understand later!", Melinda had been frightened. Jemma was taken to an alien planet with an immortal being that wanted to kill all humans. Now Melinda was in an alien world where everyone wanted to kill everyone. At least she was more familiar with that. She could handle that.

And so she did. She learned Galactic Basic, she learned bits of Huttese, Droidspeak, and enough of the language of those damn thieves, the Jawas, to trade with them. After gathering her bearings, with the aid of many kinder people than most she dealt with, Melinda was able to start working. If there was one thing that was handy in a near lawless land it was martial skill, something she had in spades. With ease born of talent and dedication she was soon at the top of many law officials' hit lists but also on the radar of bounty hunters. She wasn't proud of the assassinations she carried out but she was going home damn it and if others -politicians who had no interest in helping their supposed people and only aiding the failing Empire and other gangs or assassin groups- had to die for that to happen then so be it.

She was six years overdue on her retirement. She was six years overdue on asking Jemma "What the fuck!?"

She was six years overdue on knowing if she had a future left back on Earth. She didn't even know if Phil was alive. If he survived that stupid, _selfish,_ **_irresponsible_ **deal he made with the Ghost Rider.

This was all so messed up.

The kid is surprisingly smart for not yet being a part of the Guild. She grit her teeth. She could try to play him, use his ego against the obvious fact that the Mandalorian is the one who was actually doing all the hard pulling. Shouldn't surprise anyone though. If rumors were true this Mandalorian specifically, with aid of more than a few of his people no one even new still existed on Nevarro, fought off the Guild, an Imperial unit left over and still got away with his former quarry.

She'd have to bide her time. It was only luck that she had destroyed one of their bikes making the Mandalorian have to go fetch the dewback from the other hunter that morning.

She didn't sleep that night but neither did the boy fall into slumber, which she had been counting on. Not as green as she had hoped it seemed. Still. She had to get to Mos Espa. She had done the math Fitzsimmons had created from when Simmons had been abducted and if she was right, and she was pretty sure she was, this portal only opened every 8 months or so. She did not have the luxury of staying in one place for too long as a very high, very sought after bounty and eventually someone would catch onto her pattern of returning here routinely.

"Then think of what it would do for your reputation." She said to the boy. She had to suppress a smirk in victory at seeing such pettiness pique his interest. She told him the rumor of the Mandalorian on Nevarro and watched the wheels turn in his head. She sweetened the pot. "Your name will be legendary." she saw the moment he agreed to switch targets.

"How can we be sure he's the one?" He asked as he rose from the speeder bike.

"Word is, he still has the target with him. Some say it's a child." Melinda felt only a little guilt at giving this information away. She was going to knock this little punk out and take all his money, his blaster and the damn bike the moment he unshackled her so she knew the Mandalorian would have no trouble taking him on. He still looked uncertain, weighing his odds. She didn't want him to reject her offer, to make her miss her shot at getting _home_ finally. One last bid. "Look, if you're afraid to take him on, fear not. I can help with that." He wouldn't know until it was too late she never intended to hold up her end, she'd be gone. "You wanna be a bounty hunter? Make the best deal for yourself and survive."

The boy holstered his blaster and Melinda wanted to sag in relief. He approached and she stood, arms out, eager for release of their confines.

She hadn't been expecting the kid to shoot her. Slippery fucking bastard.

She wanted to seethe but all that came out were small huffs as she tried to breathe. She didn't even hear what he had to say.

She was so fucking close. So close.

She closed her eyes, willing the pain to go away. If Mando got back in enough time...maybe....maybe he could...


	3. Bank

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Beginning of a Story, the Middle of Space and the End of Time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight fudging of timeline for Mandalorian. Not much.

By the time he reached her Phil knew something was wrong. Melinda hadn't moved, not once, and the suns only got higher. He did his best to run the last mile but the sand and added weight from the stolen water containers made it difficult. The only reason he kept the damn things was the thought that Melinda might need them.

He saw the blood before he heard the rattling breaths she was letting out. Blasters were weird how they worked. They would blow a hole through you just as well as a bullet but often would cauterize a wound so there was minimal blood. Phil was grateful for it today; the blood loss would've killed her far quicker than the pain and the damage to where she was shot.

Ignoring her muted and unintelligble grunts of protest and misery Phil rolled her over, gathering materials out of his pack. He had barely any bacta spray left, the canister itself salvaged from an enemy who wasn't terribly great at fighting, probably enough to heal her enough to get her up and walking but she'd still have an open wound. There wasn't any indication she heard him as he apologized for disrobing her, especially out in public. They'd seen each other naked before during missions but it was usually just the two of them. They were out in the open now and Melinda _hated_ to be exposed in such a manner.

He was right that the spray was only enough to essentially jump start her healing; she would still have a scab she'd have to be careful not to open and probably a nasty scar but he felt confident she would live. He carefully wrapped her injury and made a pillow out of his overrobe. Despite turning it inside out to try to keep as much sand off of her as possible he still felt she probably got some in her hair.

Looking at the suns Phil knew they had to get moving. To get back to their home they had to make it to the portal by the next morning and they were already over 5 hours behind. If he could get a dewback or a speederbike or, Hell, a good old fashioned camel, they had a possibility of making it.

Phil checked Melinda's wounds again, worry creasing his brow. He'd have to move her.

In silence he worked, pulling Melinda into his arms. She whimpered her brow dotted with sweat and creased with pain. He'd get her home. 

They had a life to start, back home. She wanted to garden and ice skate. He wanted to to do yoga with goats and play with the litter of children Fitzsimmons were sure to provide. He wanted to see Melinda repaint her room every month because she could and listen to her sing off key to 80's rock ballads. He wanted it all.

"Phil." Her voice was weak but when he looked down to her face her eyes were open, tears sliding back into her hair.

"I love you." He said simply.

She smiled, closed her eyes, and rested her head against him as best she could.

He'd get them to that portal if it was the last thing he did with the last breath he took.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Concerns? Questions?
> 
> No editing, pretty much just spell check. If any glaring errors all my fault, please point them out so I can fix them.


End file.
